I sat on the bed trembling and sobbing. I hadn't gotten any sleep at all. It was already three in the afternoon of the day after the test. I'd been crying off and on for the past fifteen hours. Alex had been with Malagosto's doctors since we got back last night, so I had no one to comfort me.

Mrs. Rothman came into my room and sat beside me. "Are you okay, Camryn?"

I shook my head. "I can't do this. I can't kill again."

"What happened to you during the test?"

"Hunter Grey-" I began – then I couldn't go on any further.

Rothman put her arm around my shoulders. "Alex told me about that. What you're feeling right now is completely normal after the first kill."

"But this wasn't my first kill. I've worked for the CIA as a sniper for about a year. I've never felt this way before."

"It's okay. Every assassin has to start somewhere, and the beginnings are always rough." Rothman patted my hair. I had always thought this woman was cold and cruel, but actually, she had a mother's comforting touch.

"You know what?" Rothman began.

"What?"

"You remind me of myself when I began working for Scorpia. I had killed prior to my test, and I'd never felt any remorse for the dead. After about a year of killing for Scorpia, I began to realize what a horrible murderer I was. Eventually, I got over the feeling. Once you get over this feeling, you won't just be an ordinary human. You become one of the elite. You feel so powerful. You feel confident. As on of the elite, you can lead and rule without question. You're above the rest of this pathetic world."

I took in every word. I believed every word. Rothman suddenly changed from a cold-blooded assassin to a mom – my mom.

"If you ever need to talk to me, just give me a call." Rothman dropped a folded paper onto my lap and left.

It had been a week since the test. I was back in Venice and alone. A few days ago, Alex and Rothman had a private conversation discussing Alex's father, John Rider. Alex came back from that conversation angry and disturbed. Rothman sent him on a mission yesterday morning. Alex didn't tell me where he was going or what he was doing. He just hugged me, said, "I love you," and left. I checked my watch. It was seven in the evening. Alex should have called me to pick him up four hours ago.

I stood up and began pacing back and forth across Rothman's office. A few minutes later, Rothman rushed through the door.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Camryn," she apologized as she seated herself behind the desk. "Have you heard from Alex yet?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Alex was supposed to call me to pick him up in Turin at three o' clock. It's six after seven. I'm worried about Alex."

Rothman frowned thoughtfully. "He must have run into some trouble – probably MI6."

"MI6? What's Alex doing in the U.K.?"

"You should ask him when he gets back. If he doesn't contact you by ten tonight, then we'll go get him personally."

I sighed. "Okay." Why was Alex in the U.K.? What was he doing over there?

"Camryn?"

"Huh?"

"I know you're worried about Alex, but try to relax. He's on a…personal mission in London."

"He left without telling me where he was going or what he was doing. Alex always tells me everything."

"Maybe when he's ready to talk about it, he'll tell you."

I nodded. "Is there anything else?"

"Actually, there's one more thing. I understand that you are without a guardian – no one to look after you."

"Yeah?"

"Camryn, I want to adopt you."

Whoa – what?! "A-are you serious?" I stuttered. That was so randomly random! I was expecting Rothman to start laughing and say, "Just kidding!"

"I'm serious. I would love to have you for a daughter. You don't have to answer me now. Think about it."

I nodded, put on my sunglasses, and left. Just as I stepped out the front door of the mansion, my cell phone rang. And caller ID says…Alex Rider.

"Alex, where are you?!" I asked frantically.

"Cam, I'm in Turin," Alex said shakily. He sounded scared.

"Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not. Oh, God…when can you get here?"

"I'll be there in about an hour."

"I'm so scared, Cam."

"Everything's going to be fine. I'm going by helicopter. Just hang on for another hour."

"Where should I meet you?"

"No need. I'll track your phone. I'll see you soon, Alex."

"Cam, wait."

"I'm still here." There was a pause.

"I love you," Alex said, sounding as though he was crying.

"I know. Just hang in there, okay?"

"Yeah."

I ended the call and called the Scorpia transport office.

"This is Albright," I said. "I need a helicopter on Rothman's landing field right now."

"Yes, ma'am."

I ended that call and dialed Rothman's number as I headed toward the landing field.

"What is it, Camryn?"

"Alex just called. I'm going to pick him up in Turin now. I'll be back in about two and half hours – three tops."

"Alright. Be careful and good luck."

"Thanks." I hung up and jogged the rest of the way to the landing field. A helicopter landed just as I arrived. Wow, Scorpia goons were quick to fulfill the demands of the elite. I smiled – this job had perks (Yeah, that's right, I said job – I'm getting paid). I climbed into the helicopter and jammed on a headset.

"To Turin," I ordered in Italian. "As fast as you can go."

Turin is a city in Italy just across the border with France. One of Rothman's goons was supposed to pick up Alex in London and drop him off in Turin. For the hour ride, I was restless. Alex was all I could think about. The helicopter finally landed after what seemed like an eternity. I was on the helicopter landing beside a hospital. I took out my cell phone and began tracking the GPS signal from Alex's phone. I made my way off of hospital grounds, evading security guards and cameras. I managed to reach the streets of Turin without being detected by hospital security. I followed the GPS tracker on my phone and found myself in a dark alley. It was eight, and night was setting in. I followed the alley to a brick wall – dead end. Something on the ground caught my eye. I crouched down and picked it up. It was Alex's phone. I began to panic. Where was he? Was he okay? In my rearview sunglasses, I thought I saw something moving behind me but ignored it A cold, clammy hand clamped over my mouth. I was pulled out of view of any passing civilians.

"Cam, it's me. Don't scream." Alex released me and I relaxed.

"Jesus Christ, Alex! You scared the living crap out of me!" I scolded, pulling of the sunglasses.

He smiled weakly. "Sorry."

I sighed. I couldn't be angry with Alex; I loved him too much. "What happened to you? You sounded terrible on the phone."

"Mrs. Rothman showed me how my father died. MI6 killed him. Mrs. Jones authorized his assassination. I was sent to kill her."

"Did you?"

"No, I couldn't. Mrs. Jones tricked me. In the apartment, the whole time, she was standing behind bulletproof glass. I didn't know about it. I fired wide anyway. Cam, I couldn't do it." Alex began to sound like a frantic little child.

I hugged him. "It's okay."

"The police arrested me. Then I had to face Mr. Blunt. He told me terrible things. We can't go back to Scorpia, Cam."

"Why not? We have to."

"No. Mrs. Rothman has a plan to kill thousands of teenagers."

"How?"

"Her new project, Invisible Sword, is designed to kill all teenagers of the age of fifteen. All fifteen-year-olds had to be vaccinated for meningitis before the start of term. In the vaccination are microscopic gold nanoshells. Inside the nanoshells is cyanide. Terahertz beams will be transmitted to break up the gold, and every vaccinated fifteen-year-old in the U. K. is going to die."

"How do you know this?"

"Mr. Blunt and Mrs. Jones told me."

"Oh my God," I choked. I couldn't believe it. The woman who had been like a mother to me for the past week – the woman who wanted to adopt me – was going to kill all these innocent kids.

Tears began rolling from Alex's eyes. "Cam, tell me you love me."

"What? Why?"

"Just say it," he pleaded desperately.

"Alex, what's going on?"

Alex held me tightly and sobbed. "I'm going to die."

The harsh reality struck me hard. I tried to refuse to believe it. "No, you're going to be fine."

"I was vaccinated in August. There's nothing we can do. I can't go back to Scorpia. I can't face Mrs. Rothman – not with my knowledge of Invisible Sword."

"Alex, we have to. We have to find a way to stop her."

"I can't do this. I'm really sorry, but you're on your own for this."

"But, Alex-"

"I love you, Cam, I really do. But if go back with you, I might blow you cover. That could get you killed."

"I can't do this alone." Now it was my turn to cry.

"I'm sorry-"

"Look, if you run, I'm going with you," I told Alex. "If we both run, you're going to die, and I'll have to watch it happen. Don't do that to me, Alex. Don't make me watch you die."

Alex didn't reply. He just stared at me. After a while he decided that I was right. "Let's go."